From today, July 1st, with the assistance of Minister Andrii Sybiha, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is opening access for Ukrainians to an automated procedure for submitting documents for notary actions in 40 Ukrainian embassies and consulates worldwide. This was reported by the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, writes UNN.
Details
It is noted that as part of the ongoing reform of consular services, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is constantly working on their automation, improvement, and simplification of access. The main task: a citizen abroad should feel the care, concern, and respect of their state. This is also about preserving the ties of our great nation with its state.
Today marks the pilot launch in the first 40 foreign diplomatic missions of a new service in one of the key consular areas. This is automated submission of documents for notary actions
From July 1st, Ukrainians abroad gained the opportunity to submit information and documents electronically for notary actions through the applicant's electronic cabinet of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' information and communication system "e-Consul."
The main innovation is that all procedures for submitting and processing documents can now be done online, without the need for a physical visit to the diplomatic mission. Instead of long waits, travel, and paperwork – now a convenient online procedure and soon a short visit just to collect the ready document
Previously, to perform a notary action at the consulate, a citizen had to personally come and submit all necessary documents in paper form, write an application by hand; inform what powers he was going to transfer to another person, agree with the consul on the text of the required power of attorney; pay the consular fee (usually at the post office or bank), and then wait for the consul to print the power of attorney and receive it in the afternoon. Sometimes, in the absence of a document or uncertainty about which power of attorney text would be suitable for further use, the citizen had to visit the diplomatic mission again on another day. All this took time, money, and resources.
From now on, at their convenience, citizens can submit an online application for a notary action through the reliable and accessible e-Consul system, upload a sample of the required power of attorney or notary statement, and upload all necessary documents
The system prompts which documents must be submitted for a particular notarial action.
The consular officer processes the submitted information without the physical presence of the applicant and, if it complies with legal requirements, confirms the applicant's right to apply for a notarial action.
In case any discrepancies are found, the applicant receives a notification with specific recommendations for their elimination. The system generates a notarial document and sends a notification to the person about the consular officer's readiness to certify it and the need to pay the consular fee.
The person then needs to register in the e-Queue for the notary action, arrive at the diplomatic mission at the specified time, submit the documents that were sent electronically, personally sign the previously agreed notarial document via the e-Consul system, and, after the consul enters the information into the register of notarial actions, receive the processed document.
As of today, Ukrainian citizens already have access to this pilot project in the Embassies of Ukraine in Australia, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Botswana, Vietnam, Ghana, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Qatar, Kenya, China, the Consulates General in Guangzhou and Shanghai, the Embassies in Congo, Korea, Côte d'Ivoire, Cuba, Kuwait, Latvia, Malaysia, Morocco, Mexico, Mozambique, UAE, Oman, South Africa, Peru, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Singapore, Thailand, Tunisia, Chile, Japan, and the Consulates General in Milan, Hamburg, and Gdansk.
All circulars and instructions have been distributed, so it can be used starting today. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will also collect feedback to improve the system's operation.
Information and answers to frequently asked questions will be available on the resources of diplomatic missions and the Consular Service Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
After evaluating the results of the pilot phase, it is planned to soon expand it to other diplomatic and consular institutions of Ukraine abroad.